Author's Note

Welcome back to C&C! First and foremost, this it the T-rated version of chapter 33. If you want the M-rated version, go back one chapter.

Despite the fact that this chapter is heavily sanitized, sex is imminent in the opening sections and there will be at least some suggestion of it in places. But the acts themselves are glossed over and not vividly described, almost entirely happening off-screen. Nevertheless, don’t be surprised by hints of it here and there.

As to why I didn’t cut the sections out entirely, the reason is there is some new Changeling lore and worldbuilding present here that I want all readers to know, and you will also learn a little about our Archon escort along the way. Needless to say, the Changelings have a rather unique outlook on things that you’ll start learning about here.

As always, I thank my eager prereading crew of Silentwoodfire, AJ_Aficionado, ASF, Wechsel and Silverblade5. They all enjoyed the chapter, so hopefully you will as well! Have at it just as soon as I post the standard boilerplate:

This chapter is brand new content, taking place after chapter 9 of the original story. You are not only invited but strongly encouraged to check out the original Feathered Heart if you haven’t already, as it inspired many of my own works.

—Firesight

33: Reunions (T-rated)

Down Time
Love Making Music : Romantic Saxophone Music, Sensual Mindset, Background Music, Instrumental Music

As the pink in her vision continued to grow, Gilda found her impatience to be alone with Marco rising in tandem with her excitement. And to her surprise, the presence of the large Changeling drone leading them wasn’t helping.

Her interest in male company still up and eager to be indulged, she found her gaze wandering over his large and lithe form repeatedly; she even sniffed at the air behind him to try to pick up a hint of his exotic musk.

Thankfully, Archon Archex himself—and was ‘Archon’ a name or a title? —seemed unaware of her interest. “This way, please.” He invited them through the door, cutting off sound from the catcalling Marines and teasingly trilling griffons, then closed and locked it behind them. As the lights within it came up, she realized it wasn’t a room he had led them to, but another short corridor with much more ornate surroundings, including some surprisingly sexual images on the walls.

They were carved out of multicolored chitin showing Queens and drones alike cavorting not just with each other but various races, all showing enhanced attributes. They were even backlit by some form of magical glow which illuminated them like sunlight through colored glass, reminding Gilda of pictures she’d seen of the interior of Canterlot Castle, where the windowed walls showed momentous events from pony history.

“Whoa! Nice art, Archon. Would it be okay to take some pictures of it?” Marco went for his pocket only to remember that he didn’t have his ‘smartphone’, which remained missing following the ibex invasion of the Inn.

“Though it is gratifying that you find it pleasing, we would greatly prefer that you didn’t, Marco Lakan. You will understand that as much as possible, we do not wish the interiors of our hives or vessels to be known,” he answered easily. “The Queen will no doubt request that you keep what you see here secret, even after you leave.”

“Oh. Okay.” She was relieved that Marco sounded at least slightly chagrined, though he kept looking around. His eyes flitted from one lurid image to another, which typically showed Changelings seducing everything from griffons to harpies to ponies, often in mid-transformation. Even Gilda found a few of her buttons pushed, especially by images showing female drones—or the Queen herself! —in dominant positions.

Look at that… they even know about human-style teatplay! she further noticed, picking out a picture showing an ibex doe that displayed just that. Didn’t the humans have a name for that act? she somehow recalled.

She wasn’t sure how she knew that, but she also didn’t have much time to dwell on it, unable to tear her eyes away from the walls around them. By the crows, even those Neighponese comics Rainbow and I read weren’t as explicit as these pictures! Gilda couldn’t help but marvel, noting that Marco seemed enrapt as well.

She noted his gaze seemed to linger on images of the male drones rutting males of other races, until he abruptly tore his eyes away and shook his head hard, giving Gilda a nervous look. “So, uh… if you don’t want the interior and all this art to be known, aren’t you worried that anybody you bring down here for ‘business negotiations’ is going to tell?” he asked the question Gilda wanted to, to which Archon Archex smiled.

“Not at all, given this ship is as much a chameleon as we are. For example…” His slightly holed horn flared as he cast a minor spell that washed over the walls, causing the images to briefly shimmer. When they cleared, all the Changelings in the image had been replaced with other races as if they’d taken their disguise.

“And if we don’t wish such images to be seen at all…” A second flare changed the murals to far more placid scenes of landscapes and the hallway to a much more generic griffon one, if belonging to a high-end inn. “Or perhaps if we are entertaining a Kingdom military official?” A third flare changed the images to scenes of historical battles.

“Amazing…” Marco murmured, unable to resist running his hand over the images before Gilda could stop him; worried it might be as offensive as when he nearly caressed a statue in the Hall of Heroes. “You guys really go all-out.”

“Of course. Disguise and desire are ways of life for us, Marco Lakan, and are incorporated into all facets of our existence right down to the interiors of our structures. It is extremely rare—and speaking for myself, quite refreshing—that we may reveal ourselves to outsiders and greet them as we truly are.” He returned the hallway and pictures to their original explicit incarnations. “Be honored that we allow you to see this. But please return that honor by keeping our confidence when you leave.”

“No problem…” Marco said through a suddenly dry throat; Gilda could see how painfully aroused he was at not only their earlier encounter, but their surroundings. “I, uh, really like them.”

“Me too…” Gilda admitted slightly wanly as she continued to study the well-rendered scenes.

“Thank you. As you might guess, they are here not just for decoration, but to aid the process of extracting love. It is also worth noting that everything you see here is not just fantasy—they depict encounters that truly happened. They represent some of our greatest sensual triumphs over our many centuries of existence.” His words caused Gilda’s eyes to go wide and exchange a startled glance with Marco as the large drone continued his impromptu lecture, acting the part of a tour guide.

“Holy shit…” This time, Marco’s gaze lingered long on the image of a sorely pleasured ibex doe. “Then all this is real?”

“Or more correctly, was real. And with the coming of your kind, Marco Lakan, I daresay we will be adding some human images to this pantheon of passion in the years to come.”

“If you need ideas, I’d be happy to share my porn collection with you…” was all Marco could say in response, the smell of cider around him growing. “So, uh, is ‘Archon’ your name, or—” he tried to make conversation as they both walked increasingly stiffly; Gilda’s aroused wings and Marco’s severely strained pants front making it progressively more difficult for them to move fluidly.

“My name is Archex, Marco Lakan. ‘Archon’ is both a rank, and a title,” he replied easily without looking back, continuing to lead them along. “It means many things, but in human military terms, if the Queen is a Captain, then I suppose you could say it makes me a Lieutenant of sorts. Or in griffon terms, it is roughly equivalent to Centurion, with my duties not unlike Queen Molyneux’s elite Praetorian Guard—at least in part. Which, by strange coincidence, is the rank and station my griffon persona holds in the Kingdom’s military,” he added with what Gilda took to be a coy note.

“You were a Praetorian Centurion?” Gilda asked, feeling at least slightly perturbed at the idea that a Changeling, even a friendly one, could infiltrate the Queen’s personal guard.

“I still am, but I was recently rotated to the Paladin unit in Aricia. By complete coincidence, I was on leave when the Cloven attacked, for which I thank the Hive Mother for being present to defend my Queen and home. Just like the Kingdom’s other service branches, Paladins are required to spend some time away from Arnau for our skills to not get stagnant, but I would return to my post there eventually. I have even stood sentry beside Queen Molyneux‘s bedchambers in the past,” he admitted matter-of-factly, causing Gilda’s eyes to go wide.

“Yeah? Why? So you could fuck the Queen?” Marco asked out of nowhere.

“Marco!” A red-cheeked Gilda exclaimed, but Archex just laughed.

“Sadly, no, though I consider it a compliment that you think I could. Then again, I admit that the thought has crossed my mind on occasion. To extract love from Queen Molyneux herself would be the ultimate test of my infiltration and seduction skills, but it would also be far too dangerous to attempt for an uncertain return,” he said almost wistfully.

“For as strong-willed and perceptive as your Queen is—and having guarded her directly, I have witnessed her ability to see right through diplomatic doublespeak and the endless palace intrigue she must endure—the chance of discovery would be very real. So no, Marco Lakan. I choose my sources of love carefully, but they do not include her.”

“Then why would you even be in the Guard?” Gilda asked, her eyes roaming over his impressively endowed hindquarters again. “For intelligence?”

He glanced back at her and grinned, causing her to inwardly cringe, praying he hadn’t noticed her gaze. “In part, certainly. We do like to keep watch on the internal affairs of the Kingdom, in case there is something that concerns us. But more because the Guard itself is a very potent source of love.”

“It is?” Gilda tried to imagine it and failed, not understanding how such strong, stiff, and unsmiling soldiers would ever enjoy sex. “I wouldn’t think that the Praetorians would provide much.”

“You would be surprised. As they are always so disciplined and duty-conscious, with nearly all their time taken up with training and then simply standing sentry for extended periods while not being allowed to move or speak? They, far more than most of your soldiers, need release from the endless monotony of their posts,” he explained with a growing grin.

“It is a release I am only too happy to grant them. And lest you think I am taking advantage of them, I much prefer to see it as granting them a sorely needed respite from their important but unenviable duties. By doing so, I feel I am making them more attentive and effective guardians of not just your Queen, but her entire royal line in the process.”

“So in other words, you have sex with them in service to Queen Molyneux, eh?” Marco suggested in what Gilda almost took to be an envious tone, to which the drone only smiled.

“And Queen Lepidoptes as well. Remember that my foremost duty is to collect love for my hive, Marco Lakan. And be assured that as an Archon, I am very good at it.”

“Oh, yeah?” Marco sounded intrigued, tugging at the front of his trousers to try to free up at least a small amount of space for himself. “And why is that?”

“Some of it is acquired experience. Some of it is the potent allure we can put into the very air, effective against all races, genders and ages—an allure which is doubly effective given my… evolved form. But mostly, it is that we are very good at detecting the proclivities of our potential partners and tailoring our responses to them. For example…”

He abruptly stopped walking and lowered his forequarters fractionally, displaying himself while sending a wave of what she could only describe as magic-infused musk into her nose.

If it was his ‘allure’, then it had the desired effect as her beak went dry to both see and smell it, and she realized she wasn’t the only one as Marco took a ragged breath as well.

“See something you like, Centurion and Marco Lakan?” he asked idly, causing them both to start and stammer, to which he gave them a reassuring grin. “I see you find my evolved form pleasing. If you are interested, I have also acquired an array of helpful seduction spells over my many years of service to the Queen—both yours and ours. Allow me to demonstrate…”

His horn flared and a wave of magic washed over them both, causing her fur and feathers to intensely tingle. But that was far from the only effect as all her armor fasteners suddenly unlatched and the front of Marco’s pants unraveled, causing all her protective pieces to fall off while Marco’s malehood suddenly sprung free, leaving them both naked before him.

Archex smiled in great satisfaction as they gaped down at themselves, then at him. “My apologies, but you are far too beautiful and desirable an eagless to hide yourself beneath that armor, Centurion. And I do hate seeing constrained spears, Mister Lakan. That looked very uncomfortable.”

“Holy shit...” Marco could only gape at him. “I look at you, and all I can think is how badly I want to—”

“Indeed.” The drone suddenly stepped away and cut off the magical ‘allure’ that he was further tempting them with, causing them both to stumble heavily, still sorely aroused. “That was just a minor demonstration of how enticing we can be. But for as tempted as I am to go further, this is your time, not mine. I hope you will forgive me for teasing the two of you, but I could sense your earlier ogling of me. It is futile to hide or deny it since as Changelings, we are very attuned to such things,” he reminded them with a wink, causing them both to flush and look away.

“I will leave you to your lovemaking now. Oh, and Mister Lakan? Please remove your ruined garment immediately so I can repair it. Do not dawdle, as the spell I used is only reversible within the first few minutes.”

“Th-thanks,” was all a sorely sweating and shaking Marco could ask as he began shrugging out of his half-ruined trousers, to which the drone only smiled.

“You’re welcome. But before I leave, understand that encouraging passions is something of a reflex with us. We are very good at it, so please do not be offended or embarrassed,” he requested, waiting for Marco to finish removing his splotchy green garment. “Consider it a form of flattery, as I do your interest in me. In time, I might even be willing to indulge it… if both you and the Queen approve, that is. But that particular pleasure can wait.” His hole-studded horn flared and the chitin-covered door before them audibly unlocked; Gilda had been so distracted that she hadn’t even realized they’d arrived before it.

“Uh... no offense taken.” Gilda could hear the dry note in Marco’s voice as he hurriedly removed his caught boots, having to sit up despite his intense arousal to do so; she was suddenly afraid to speak for how her own voice might sound. “Oh, and uh… please don’t do anything with what’s on the belt. It’s weapons and ammunition.”

“Worry not. After seeing your cannons in action, I have no intention of examining or even touching them,” he promised as he accepted the garment and bathed it in fresh magic, causing the ripped threads to somehow re-ravel themselves back into their original strength and form.

“There you are. Be assured that you will have absolute privacy here, even from the awareness of the Queen herself. Food and drink are available in the cupboards and counters to your left, including various spirits—though we request that you not overindulge on those, as too much can taint your love,” he warned them.

“A toilet and large tub are available through the far door as well if you wish to bathe, along with various cleansers that include the highest quality preening oils—though you will forgive us for not having anything human-specific, Marco Lakan,” he said with an apologetic dip of his webbed ears.

“No problem…” was all a wan Marco could say. “I’m not sure we’ll get around to bathing, anyway...”

“You are very gracious, my human friend, but I fear that it is a problem given we pride ourselves on seeing to the needs of our guests. We will do our utmost to rectify that later, but in the meantime, please use this room to your heart’s content, and do not worry about cleaning up. Trust me—we have dealt with messes and even damage to this room far worse than anything you two could come up with,” he said with a wry grin as he finished fixing Marco’s pants and laid them over a nearby lounge. With a parting wink, he closed the door behind them, leaving the pair alone with each other.

“Holy shit,” was all Marco could say after he had departed, still staring after him when he was gone. “He had me about ready to...” he couldn’t even finish the sentence.

“Me too,” Gilda admitted in some shame. “I’m sorry, Marco.”

“He got both of us, so I can’t be mad, girlfriend.” He rubbed his hand behind his head and then went to the counter to fill a bowl and a mug with water. “Christ almighty, I can’t believe I was nearly ready to go do a guy again! —and please don’t tell Tara or Chris I said that! They’ll never let me live it down.”

“My beak is sealed, dweeb,” she promised, feeling her wings rise to full rigidity as he passed her the bowl, waiting until they’d both taken a long swig of the deliciously cool, pure and refreshing water. “Much better. So shall we?” She suggested as she passed the bowl back.

“Love to.” His top garment unaffected by whatever odd magic the Archon had cast, he carefully unslung his rifle and put it aside on the counter beside the pantry after removing the quiver and ejecting the loaded ‘bullet’, pointing the business end of it away from them the whole time he did. That accomplished, he removed his armor and shirt next, putting them in a pile beside the rifle.

“There. Now, where were we…?” he asked in a rhetorical air, turning partially towards her to show off his naked form.

Finally able to indulge without guilt, she answered him by rearing up and shoving him against the wall to aggressively kiss him. “Right about… here,” she answered as she pushed hard against him, raising her talons to knead his shoulders while his human hands found her wingbases in turn.

* * * * *

In the end, neither of them lasted long, their act a simple celebration of being alive and in each other’s arms again. But despite its short lead-up, it was suitably intense, leaving her trilling her pleasure and calling his name. She wasn’t sure how long her climax lasted, only that she never wanted it or the moment to end. But end it finally did, leaving her rigid and arched body slumping back to the floor even as Marco nearly fell off her from his own release, having to brace himself against the carpeted floor with his hands.

She was only barely cognizant of him at that moment, feeling herself all but floating from the lingering rapture and suddenly very close to sleep. Her mind in a twilight state, she beheld what looked like a young and quite naked human version of herself in the room. Her seeming twin was gaping down at the scene with her and Marco in visible shock, gesticulating with soft human talons while speaking to someone off to the side.

When Gilda turned her head fractionally to see who her strange counterpart was talking to, she beheld what she could only describe as an exceptionally tall and mature human woman version of Rainbow Dash in odd skintight attire and bearing prismatic wings, staring smugly down at her and Marco over crossed arms.

“But he’s so dweeby…” her teenage human self complained somewhat petulantly while Dashie’s doppelgänger just laughed and Gilda smiled, not knowing if what she saw was real but also not caring.

That he is… she granted as the strange vision faded away. But I love him anyway! was her final thought as a blissful sleep claimed her.

Another hour and three more lovemaking sessions later, Gilda was awoken not by a knock, but by a gentle pressure on her mind followed by an increase in the light level of the room.

“Wakey, wakey…” She heard the amused voice of Archon Archex in her head as much as her ears. Her unfocused eyes fluttered to find him standing by the bed they’d eventually ended up on with what looked like a waiter’s tray, on which sat a drink bowl and a mug along with some form of bottle held in his magical grasp. “It’s time to get up, Centurion, though I see Mister Lakan already is.” He nodded down to where Marco’s arousal was clearly visible.

Despite that and their very compromising position, Gilda could only groan and glare, to which the large male Changeling chuckled and began pouring them both a drink. “I’m sorry, I truly am. We would be more than happy to let you two rest and rut for the massive amount of love we have already collected, but it’s nearly noon, and we’ve just received word that the Tribune is on his way.”

“Fuck the Tribune…” Marco growled tiredly, not caring that he was naked and excited before the drone. “Not literally, of course.”

“Speak for yourself, Marco Lakan. Tribune tiercels are a particular favorite of mine for how much I find they enjoy not being in command for a bit. But it would seem that your time here was spent well.” Archex nodded towards the collection of crystals embedded in the ceiling, which were now brightly glowing.

He then helped them sit up with gentle magical pressure on Gilda’s neck and lower back, away from her wings. “Here. This will help restore your energy and alertness, at least for a time. And it should also help subside your excitement—yes, hard as it is to believe, not everything we possess is meant to increase it.”

“What’s in it?” Gilda asked as she struggled to shake off her sleep and sit up.

“Be assured that it’s nothing magical or alcoholic. Just a strong jolt of a special coffee strain we commissioned from the zebras, combined with a flavored sweet syrup of our own make and simple soda water. Our younglings find it quite invigorating and refreshing,” he told them as she heard it fizz when it hit the bowl.

Her nose twitched appreciatively as the switchel-like scent reached her. “That smells good.”

“I promise that it tastes good, too. It may interest you to know that this is another item we’ve considered selling to griffons in an effort to more easily make money for our various… business ventures. The joke among our kind is that for as much energy as it imparts, it will ‘give you wings’ if you don’t already have them,” he noted in amusement, causing Marco to suddenly cough hard as he took a sip from his mug. “And if that worries you, Mister Lakan, be assured that description is not meant to be taken literally. Though if you like, we do have potions for that.”

“As fun as having wings might be, I’ll pass. As for this, I think you guys might be sued for trademark infringement if you tried selling it on Earth…” he mused as he propped himself up on an elbow to take a longer draw. “Whoa. Damn, that is good. Try it, Gilds.”

“Okay.” Though Gilda had no idea what Marco meant, she accepted her bowl as it was placed on the bed beside her and raised her head enough to dip her beak in it. To her surprise, it tasted not unlike the overly-sugared sodas she’d occasionally enjoyed with Rainbow at malt shops in Cloudsdale, if a bit less sweet and more stimulating.

Mere seconds after taking it, she felt it soaking into her system swiftly, causing her talons to flex against the sheets and herself to stretch her stiff and still-sore body out hard.

For just a moment, the movement against Marco aroused them both again, leaving them on the verge of another round. None of which was missed by the perceptive Archon, who studied them with an almost academic interest. “Remarkable. Overcoming the effects of the drink and ready to go again so quickly? I daresay you two would make excellent drones, and I would greatly enjoy seeing an example of human lovemaking so I can both bask in it and later copy it. Unfortunately…”

He bodily separated them with his aura, moving them to opposite edges of the bed without touching or stimulating anything untoward. “I cannot, and neither can you.”

“Hey!” they both squawked in protest, to which he met their glare head on with his pupil-less gaze.

“I’m truly sorry, Centurion and Mister Lakan. But there is no time for this. Tribune Cipio will be here in mere minutes, and the Queen believes that you should not disrespect him more than you already have. You demanded his presence, and he has come. You should be there to meet him along with her and your subordinates.”

Gilda relented at his words, suddenly angry at herself that she had to be lectured by a Changeling of all creatures on self-control. “You’re right. Sorry. We have to get dressed, Marco,” she called over her shoulder to him. “We’ll finish this later.”

“We’d better,” he groused as he sat up facing away from her, upending the mug’s contents into his open maw. “Maybe it’s just as well, though. Because now I’m gonna be even grumpier when I see him. Can’t wait to say exactly what I think of him for endangering us like that…”

By the time she and Marco emerged back in their dirty clothes and armor beneath the noon sun, which was still shrouded by a smoky pall that it only showed weakly through with an orange hue, she found her available human and griffon soldiers standing in formation behind Queen Lepidoptes.

Fortrakt, Giraldi and Miles Fortuna were there as well along with a returned Obsidian Ire. She stood at the head of the drakina contingent, though she had very deliberately left an empty spot in their line for the missing Red Hot, who was still being healed below. In fact, it was only then Gilda noticed that all the formations were only half-full, studded with empty spots for dead or wounded soldiers.

Though she didn’t have a chance to ask him, she guessed it was on Giraldi’s instructions, wishing to emphasize their awful losses to the Tribune. Taking her place at the Queen’s left in front of the lowered gangplank, she was finally able to look out over the field below and see that somewhat to her surprise, her instructions had been obeyed—Tribune Cipio stood at the head of a mixed century in formal attire along with several civilian officials, though he was flanked by a decade of heavily armed Paladins and further defended by two mages.

A quartet of Kingdom flags fluttered in the breeze along with the standards of the City and Southern Territory, to which the Queen had answered by raising her own rarely seen banner to the top mast of her airship. It was orange and blue with crossed sabers beneath a helmeted Changeling head bracketed by their distinctive dragonfly wings.

Well, what were you expecting, Grizelda Behertz? Crossed phalluses over a nest-shaped opening that’s studded with pink hearts? She asked herself somewhat derisively to see the martial design, realizing that the Changelings would require a military tradition of their own in order to survive among griffons.

“So nice of you to join us, Centurion,” Fortrakt said slightly testily as she took her place beside him; he spoke in a low and barely audible voice without turning towards her. “I was worried that you were stuck on Marco’s spear.”

“Don’t be jealous, cub,” she replied with a wry note in a whisper, but he didn’t seem to appreciate the tease, giving her a brief glare.

“Of you getting to have sex? No. Of you getting to sleep…?” he snapped back under his breath, causing her to fall silent, realizing only then she’d indulged herself while ordering her subordinates to stay up and write reports. “Forgive my tone, Centurion. But I really need to rest.”

“I know,” she said in a far more subdued voice. “I promise that I’ll release you and everycreature else from duty after this. And I’ll stay up all afternoon to make up for it.” And besides, after drinking that weird energy brew, I’m not sure I could sleep anyway…

They both fell silent as Giraldi called for attention and all present stood up straight and tall. The two Archons then descended to meet the visiting force in place of their Queen, who remained on the ship she could not leave. Salutes were exchanged—the Changelings used the griffon kind—followed by a series of words she couldn’t hear over the smoky breeze.

Meeting the Tribune
Baki OST - Confrontation (10 minute extended HQ)

Introductions were then made of the civilian officials by a thinly smiling but clearly smoldering Cipio, who Gilda noticed glanced up and glared at her for a moment. But then abruptly, the two Archons attacked, with Archex whipping a sword around to cleave a Paladin helmet and the head beneath it in two, while the other released some kind of chain hidden up his armored sleeve with a spike on the end.

It went right through a noble’s eye and burst out the back of his skull. Weapons were raised in shock, but then just as quickly lowered as the blade and spike were withdrawn from the slain soldiers to reveal Cloven parasites impaled upon them.

Beaks dropped open to see it. “But… they were alive!” one of the mages said in disbelief, and Gilda shivered at the implications.

Then it’s possible for the Cloven to corrupt LIVING hosts? She had no idea how they were going to combat that until the Archons explained that Changelings could detect the presence of Cloven parasites, ordering the entire formation to hold still until they were scanned. Crows take it… now what?

Thankfully, there were no other compromised griffons in the clearly unnerved formation, who were held at arrowpoint from hovering drones until the search was complete. “As this one was in possession of a standard ibexian anchor beacon, they were likely going to teleport in a force to assassinate you and the Queen once you were together,” the other Archon noted idly as they found the gem in the civilian’s robes.

“Though I do not know how the Cloven managed to start controlling live creatures, it matters not. We can still mitigate this threat, but it must be done immediately. We will need to scan all your soldiers and staff to make sure we get them all. With your permission, Tribune, we will send a century of drones to check your headquarters, and then have turma-sized patrols overfly your battlements to look for Cloven puppets there.” The large chain-wielding drone gave orders like he was an officer himself.

The suddenly wan and slightly pale Tribune gave his permission immediately, though he requested that they stay in disguise as they did so. With a nod, the hovering drones turned into griffon Talons with bursts of green fire that consumed them, earning startled flinches from watching griffons.

Once they were all shapeshifted, they took flight with a single one of Cipio’s subordinates in a surprisingly practiced sky griffon flying formation. The two Archons then escorted the town’s Maior along with a Tribune and a single aide—the Optio adjutant Gilda had met before—up the gangplank to meet Queen Lepidoptes herself.

The Queen stood regally in full battle armor to receive them; a quartet of armored drones bracketing her in front. Upon reaching the top of the ramp, the three visitors bowed low before her and flared their wings, if somewhat nervously in the case of the Maior and Optio Virgo.

Tribune Cipio, however, did not flinch from her presence, though Gilda did see a wary note in his green-eyed gaze that she wasn’t quite able to categorize. As he got closer, she noted that he no longer wore just the copper chain that gave him the ability to direct civilian security forces, but also a gold one that granted him the authority to command the Knights and—by dint of their being a subordinate service—the Talons.

Though surprised to see it, Gilda supposed she shouldn’t have been, given he was the commanding officer of the Aricia garrison and its district. From what she’d heard, thousands of soldiers from other service branches had fled fallen bases for Aricia and lost their commanders along the way. As the only ranking officer left, there would have been no choice but to make him their leader.

Still, it was very unusual to see even a senior Auxiliary Guard officer given authority to command the Knights, no matter how experienced or respected. Which only spoke to how dire the situation the Kingdom faced was, scrambling to reestablish a broken chain of command using whatever surviving officers were available regardless of service branch.

Despite that, he was in formal military uniform, though Gilda guessed from the fact it wasn’t as tight-fitting as usual that he was wearing a layer of armor beneath his dark blue cape and tunic. Once the Queen had returned the bow with a dip of her head, he rose to face her, pulling out a command crystal and speaking into it while facing her.

It caused his voice to boom out over the remote anchorage, equally audible within its area of magical influence. “Greetings and welcome to Aricia, Queen Scylla Lepidoptes the eighth! Your hive has lived among us for centuries, and yet it is only now that we make formal contact. It is truly a momentous occasion, even if it is brought upon by the most trying of times,” he began.

“I sincerely apologize for not meeting you sooner, but these are… exceptional circumstances that require severe security precautions. And I believe you can now understand just why I didn’t want to chance seeing you before this.” He looked ruefully over his shoulder at the remains of two felled Cloven corpses, who were already being incinerated by the pair of Magus.

“Trying times indeed,” the Queen answered, using her magic to boost her own voice to booming. “And ones that require painful sacrifices from us all. But it is my sincerest hope that out of the ashes of war will come a new beginning for both our races, where my Hive can at long last step out of the shadows and live among you openly. To that end, I wish you and all griffons to know that we fully intend to fight and die at your side, lending our strength and magical skills to ensure the Kingdom’s survival.”

Not a bad response. I wonder if she rehearsed it? For all I know, she’s been saving that speech for centuries… Gilda thought idly, noting that Cipio hadn’t looked at her since boarding the vessel.

But he had glanced at Marco and Imlay at least once, with his eyes settling for a moment on their cannons. Marco himself was standing with the Marines, though she’d overheard Imlay order him to ‘keep his fucking mouth shut’ when the Tribune passed, threatening to put him on laundry detail if he didn’t.

She smiled at the memory before tuning back into the conversation. “... is to your enormous credit. And that you have already aided our efforts has been noted with great gratitude and appreciation, as is the fact that you have fled your longtime home,” the Tribune gave what sounded to Gilda like an equally scripted answer. “For doing so, the Queen herself sees fit to honor you.”

He then sat back and unfurled a scroll. “By order of Her Highness, Queen Molyneux herself, we are instructed to give you the full honors due a visiting head of state and welcome you as an important ally in our struggle against a mutual and murderous foe. She affords your airship the status of embassy, and when we emerge victorious, she fully intends to reward your aid with land and wealth, up to and including a formal recognition of your Hive’s sovereignty.”

Despite the fact she was supposed to be standing at attention, the news caused Gilda to smile as the Tribune then passed the Changeling monarch a scroll bearing the royal seal of Queen Molyneux, which she supposed had been delivered by dragonfire courtesy of friendly drakes or drakinas.

That means he complained to the Queen about my orders and was then told I was right—that he should greet her properly and treat her as an ally! I bet that hurt, Tribune… She couldn’t wait to rub his beak in it later.

A few more pleasantries were exchanged and a speech was then made by the city’s Maior, an older eagless of minor nobility. She bade the Queen welcome in a slightly awkward air, seemingly having trouble looking at her. She offered her what little hospitality they could “under the circumstances,” inviting her to visit her heavily guarded house later once security arrangements could be made.

To her relief, Queen Lepidoptes respectfully declined, explaining that due to its “sensitive cargo”, she could not leave the ship. In its place, she offered to entertain the Maior herself more directly later, up to and including dinner and a tour of the vessel.

The initial greetings concluded, the Tribune was then invited by the Queen to meet and inspect her civilians and guests, though Gilda could easily tell that he didn’t want to be there any longer than he had to. She wasn’t sure if it was out of distaste for the Queen’s presence or simply a desire to get back to work defending the city, but it would also have been impolite to refuse her.

So following her lead, he allowed Queen Lepidoptes to guide her from formation to formation, starting with Optio Giraldi, who he greeted at least half-warmly. Gilda could just overhear him asking why her former First Spear refused a long-overdue promotion to Centurion and command of a century, to which Giraldi replied that it only honored him when others were even more deserving.

“I did not lead us through this nightmare, sir, acting with incredible ability and honor in her first-ever command. Centurion Behertz did. And you slandered her by not acknowledging her efforts. To say nothing of the efforts of our soldiers,” he told the Tribune point-blank.

Whatever was said after that was too low for her to hear before Queen Lepidoptes led the Tribune on, though Gilda thought she might have briefly heard feathers ruffling. He was then introduced to the Queen’s senior military officials, which included what they called a ‘Captain’ and ‘Commander’ in Equish. Gilda gathered from what she overheard that improbably, the Changelings had not one but two military service branches despite their Hive’s small size, involving a ‘Guard’ and something called the ‘Silencers’.

With regards to the latter, she’d noticed that a few of the drones were not blue or orange-trimmed, but black with even their normally green pupils showing no color at all. They also tended to be armed with twin blades and a bevy of other items, leaving her wondering if they were somehow equivalent to the Ravens in function.

Then the Changelings have assassins, too? She was momentarily incredulous, then recalled stories from the long-ago conflict with the ponies of drones stalking and slaying high-ranked Imperial officials. They know how to make love, but for the simple sake of survival, I guess they ultimately need to know how to make war, too…

After that, Tribune Cipio was introduced to Marco, Imlay and his available Marines, of whom only eight stood in line with the rest still being treated below. To her relief, Marco deferred to Imlay, who answered the Tribune’s questions respectfully. And when asked about their combat capabilities, he said that by Gilda’s order, a demonstration of their weapons was already arranged.

But the Tribune ended the conversation somewhat curtly on that note, saying only that he would try to find time for it later. After that came the surviving Ravens, and to Gilda’s surprise, Miles Fortuna was equally short with Cipio when he greeted her, saying only that the Tribune should “read her report” if he wished to know her opinion on the matter. The Queen also wisely steered him clear of Obsidian Ire, who was slouching off to the side with her sisters and glaring at him.

It was only then, after he’d seen the Talon and Knight formations to witness their casualties and get a sense of their anger, that he was led back to the fore of the formation to see Gilda herself.

“Centurion Grizelda Behertz,” the Tribune acknowledged with a cool look as she and Fortrakt saluted him crisply while staring straight ahead. “Congratulations on your promotion. A rise in rank was perhaps overdue for you, though I am surprised that you became a Centurion so swiftly.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said perfunctorily, baring her throat as much to show off her command chain as acknowledge the compliment. And though she would normally have left it there when being inspected by a superior, she decided to start needling him immediately. “I am pleased that my orders to you were carried out so promptly and obediently despite the difficulties involved. Be assured that I will note as much in my report to the Queen.”

As she watched, the Tribune’s beak clenched as his cheeks went red and his crestfeathers flared hard; she wished she could turn her head enough to see Fortrakt’s reaction, who she was certain was now stifling a smile. “It wasn’t your orders I was obeying, Behertz. It was the Queen’s.” He raised his voice to make sure nearby griffons heard him.

“As you clearly tried to go over my head to her, she concurred with my instructions, as I knew she would,” Gilda replied smugly, her deliberately insubordinate tone baiting him further. “She also clearly agrees with me that you were acting irresponsibly and dishonorably with regards to the Changelings. And I have no doubt that once she knows the facts, she will further concur just how incredibly idiotic you were to endanger the humans.”

His eyes narrowed and feathers ruffled. “You have a very outsized opinion of your own influence, Behertz. One I will relieve you of soon, once this little diplomatic affair is finished. I do not brook disobedience in wartime, and I fully intend to make an example of you.”

Gilda was unimpressed. “You can insult and threaten me all you like, but you’re ultimately here because I told you to be, Tribune. And by all the Ancestors who aided us this past day when you didn’t, I don’t care if it costs me my chain and rank. I don’t even care if it gets me thrown in the mines. I’m going to make sure you know exactly how crow-damningly stupid you were to risk the humans like that,” she told him to his face, relishing being able to backtalk like she was a teenager once more. “And then I’m going to make sure that you can’t ever do it again.”

“Are you quite through destroying your own career yet, Behertz?” he asked her acidly.

“No, sir.” She broke her attention stance and looked him in the eye, dropping her voice enough to make sure no nearby griffons other than Fortrakt could hear her. “If nothing else, I hope you’ve taken note that nocreature here is happy with you, Tribune Cipio. The reason is that they know how foolish your orders were, and what it could have cost,” she grated out the words through a clenched beak of her own, then stretched out her neck to go nose to nose with him, her posture low and wings starting to flare in anger.

The Tribune looked ready to grab her by her armored collar and throw her over the side, but he restrained himself, perhaps only due to the presence of the Queen listening in beside them.

“So heed my words and heed them well, sir. If you don’t want to be humiliated in front of your own troops by a public demonstration of human firepower that shows them directly how big a crow-damned fool you were, then I suggest you quit posturing like an overstuffed Paladin peacock with a spear up his rear… and come with me immediately.”

Before he could reply, she heard a stifled snicker at the dig from Fortrakt, which immediately gained the Tribune’s attention and ire.

Turning, she saw him smirking despite his tired features, which he didn’t erase even after the Tribune stepped in front of him. “Am I to take it that you agree with her insubordination, Decurion?” he tried to intimidate Fortrakt in her place, but he wasn’t having it, either.

“Sir. Yes, sir. We all do,” he told him without hesitation despite an audible quaver in his voice. “With due respect to your rank and station, every word she said was true. You were a crow-damned fool in risking the humans, and your actions could have cost us everything!” He was shaking but also standing straight as he said it.

Gilda was impressed, recognizing that talking back like that went against every fiber of his being. Wow, cub. I just hope that if I’m relieved of duty, you don’t go down with me!

When Tribune Cipio looked ready to not just snarl a reply but order his arrest on the spot, Queen Lepidoptes herself intervened. “With greatest respect, Tribune, I strongly suggest that you accept the Centurion’s offer. Passions are running understandably high right now, but these issues cannot be resolved standing in a receiving line. She is right that it is time for you both to talk, so I also invite you to do so. You may use my personal meeting room for the purpose, which is below.”

“That is more than acceptable,” Gilda told him through a glower. “I trust you agree, Tribune?”

“As I am instructed by Queen Molyneux to give you every consideration, I will do as you wish, Queen Lepidoptes,” he said shortly. “Fine, we’ll talk. But by our Queen and realm, don’t expect this to end well for you, Behertz…”